


The best

by TheBlazeCal



Series: Finished Taskpool stories [24]
Category: Deadpool (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 08:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11802603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBlazeCal/pseuds/TheBlazeCal
Summary: Wade couldn’t see Tony as anything else then the best, so why...





	The best

To Wade the Taskmaster had always felt like a brand, like an example of what a great mercenary was. 

Already a well established icon when he just became Deadpool. 

There had been mercenaries aplenty, but none with Taskmaster’s reputation, everyone knew Tony had his finger in everything. Goons, replacement costumed villains, Hydra, mobsters, A.I.M., hell even some S.H.I.E.L.D.-agents were trained by him. 

His identity was the mercenary’s best kept secret, even after getting arrested he was allowed his complete anonymity in return for training a replacement Captain America or so the rumor said anyway. 

Wade knew he’d have been dead ten times over if he hadn’t had his healing factor against this almost mythical figure. Even with the rise of more outrages mercenaries with powers or ruthless mercenaries like Bullseye. Those were unhinged, tended to have collateral damage simply because they felt like it. 

When you wanted a job done right and discreetly you’d still look up Taskmaster. He was precise, subtle and he stayed under the radars of many heroes for a long time, until a clash with the Avengers, in which he apparently even had the upper hand, until he decided on a tactical retreat. Again according to rumors...

So how was it? How was it possible that Wade now found himself staring at a near death Taskmaster? How was it that the person he had tried to mirror in his own way could be so… mortal. 

For some reason he had always assumed Tony could easily outlive him. 

Yet now here he was standing on the upper hand, once again. Just like the first time, and the fight he had assumed Tony had thrown to give him a boost. He had to take the shot, but something in Wade almost snapped at the idea. 

His mind filled with echoes of splintered memories, a smooth Bronx accent tinted voice calling him friend. A rougher voice in a neat manner of speech talking business with him, the Bronx accent calling him Pal, while asking for a favor. Many different voices always the same mask, the same eyes, the same person. However there was a truth in the voice he heard most, that smooth Bronx voice calling him the friend he couldn’t stand. 

“If yer gonna fire that thing could ya get it over with Wilson, otherwise walk away. Don't waste our time.” 

“Thought I would let it linger, that I beat you.”

“Sword to the heart don't kill ya, nuthin’ does,” Tony looked up at him with the same eternal calm gaze as always, the eyes of a man who was always in control, “always knew you'd be the death ‘f me.” 

Wade took off the safety, his gun aimed firmly between the eyes, an impossible shot to miss, enough to kill just about anyone. He couldn’t help but let that familiar Bronx accented voice wash over him.

“Then why did you want to keep me alive… Swan-”

“Could’ve killed ya? Yeah. Dunno really, just felt like it,” the mask betrayed nothing, neither did those eyes as Tony spoke, “Maybe I wanted to see if I was right.”

Wade’s finger was on the trigger, the pressure was there, but not enough yet. Something was stopping him from firing, the voices in his head arguing didn't help.

_ “Just kill him” _

**“We need to know first”**

_ “He’s buying time.” _

**“To do what crawl off the edge of the building?”**

Tony shifted a little putting Wade on instant alert, until he noticed Tony was reaching for the edge of his own mask. 

Wade couldn’t help but watch in a mix of confusion and fascination as a handsome face slowly emerged from under the mask. Wade had liked to imagine Tony was disfigured like him, though he had some minor face scarring, they were just faint lines, as well as one spot right between the eyes where he was aiming right now.

“If you would become the best, I am rarely wrong.”

The sound of the gunshot was deafening before Wade dropped the gun and walked away, leaving the battered body behind in the rubble on the roof. His mind reeling as he processed everything. 

He could never be the best, because he couldn’t even finish this job, evident from the gunshot crater inches away from Tony’s head.


End file.
